wavering faith, she rendered with all honour anders and that King Henry the Third, awaked by security; and his person to safe and faithful those pressing dangers, was compelled to execute hands; and so ever after during his minority the Duke of Guise without ceremony; and yet continued his principal guardian and protector. nevertheless found the despair of so many persons In the time and between the two occasions of embarked and engaged in that conspiracy, so vioScotland, when the same faction of Guise, lent, as the flame thereby was little assuaged; so covered still with pretence of religion, and that he was inforced to implore her aids and sucstrengthened by the desire of retaining govern- cours. Consider how benign care and good corment in the queen-mother of France, had raised respondence she gave to the distressed requests of and moved civil wars in that kingdom, only to that king; and he soon after being, by the sacriextirpate the ancient nobility, by shocking them legious hand of a wretched jacobin lifted up against one against another, and to waste that realm as the sacred person of his natural sovereign, taken a candle which is lighted at both ends: and that away, not wherein the criminous blood of Guise, those of the religion, being near of the blood- but the innocent blood which he hath often spilled royal, and otherwise of the greatest house in by instigation of him and his house was revenged, France, and great officers of the crown, opposed and that this worthy gentleman who reigneth themselves only against their insolency, and to come to the crown; it will not be forgotten by so their supports called in her aid, giving unto them grateful a king, nor by so observing an age, how Newhaven for a place of security: see with what ready, how opportune and reasonable, how royal alacrity, in tender regard towards the fortune of and sufficient her succours were, whereby she that young king, whose name was used to the enlarged him at that time, and preferred him to suppliants of his strength, she embraced the his better fortune: and ever since in those tedienterprise; and by their support and reputation ous wars, wherein he hath to do with a hydra, or the same party suddenly made great proceedings, a monster with many heads, she hath supported and in conclusion made their peace as they would | him with treasure, with forces, and with employthemselves and although they joined themselves ment of one that she favoureth most. What shall against her, and performed the parts rather of I speak of the offering of Don Anthony to his good patriots than of good confederates, and that fortune; a devoted Catholic, only commended after great demonstration of valour in her sub- unto her by his oppressed state? What shall I jects. For, as the French will to this day report, say of the great storm of a mighty invasion, not especially by the great mortality by the hand of of preparation, but in act, by the Turk upon the God, and the rather because it is known she did King of Poland, lately dissipated only by the never much affect the holding of that town to her beams of her reputation: which with the Grand own use; it was left, and her forces withdrawn, Signor is greater than that of all the states of yet did that nothing diminish her merit of the Europe put together? But let me rest upon the crown, and namely of that party who recovered honourable and continual aid and relief she hath by it such strength, as by that and no other thing gotten to the distressed and desolate people of the they subsisted long after and lest that any Low Countries; a people recommended unto her by should sinisterly and maliciously interpret that ancient confederacy and daily intercourse, by their she did nourish those divisions; who knoweth cause so innocent, and their fortune so lamentanot what faithful advice, continual and earnest ble. And yet, notwithstanding, to keep the consolicitation she used by her ambassadors and formity of her own proceeding never stained with ministers to the French kings successively, and to the least note of ambition or malice, she refused their mother, to move them to keep their edicts of the sovereignty of divers of those goodly propacification, to retain their own authority and vinces offered unto her with great instance, to have greatness by the union of her subjects? Which been accepted with great contentment both of her counsel, if it had been as happily followed, as it own people and others, and justly to be derived was prudently and sincerely given, France at this either in respect of the hostility of Spain, or in day had been a most flourishing kingdom, which respect of the conditions, liberties, and privileges now is a theatre of misery. And now, at last, when of those subjects, and without charge, danger, the said house of Guise, being one of the whips and offence to the King of Spain and his partisans. of God, whereof themselves are but the cords, and She hath taken upon her their defence and proSpain the stock, had by their infinite aspiring tection, without any further avail or profit unto practices wrought the miracles of states, to make a herself, than the honour and merit of her benigking in possession long established to play again nity to the people, that hath been pursued by their for his crown, without any title of a competitor, natural king only upon passion and wrath, in without any invasion of a foreign enemy, yea, such sort that he doth consume his means upon without any combination in substance of a blood-revenge. And, having to verify that which I said, royal or nobility; but only by furring in audacious that her merits have extended to her greatest enepersons into sundry governments, and by making mies; let it be remembered what hath passed in the populace of towns drunk with seditious preach- that matter between the King of Spain and her:

For the beauty and many graces of her presence, what colours are fine enough for such a portraiture? let no light poet be used for such a description, but the chastest and the royalest:

how in the beginning of the troubles there, she | ject to him that enjoyeth moderate liberty, upon gave and imparted to him faithful and friendly whom he tyrannizeth not: let them all know, it is advice touching the course that was to be taken by the mercy of this renowned queen, that standfor quieting and appeasing of them. Then she eth between them and their misfortunes. These interposed herself to most just and reasonable be some of the beams of noble and radiant magcapitulations, wherein always should have been nanimity, in contempt of peril, which so manipreserved unto him as ample interest, jurisdiction, festly, in contempt of profit, which so many adand superiority in those countries as he in right mire, and in merit of the world, which so many could claim, or a prince well-minded would seek include in themselves; set forth in my simplito have: and, which is the greatest point, she did city of speech with much loss of lustre, but with by her advice, credit, and policy, and all good near approach of truth; as the sun is seen in the means, interrupt and appeach, that the same peo- water. ple by despair should not utterly alien and distract Now to pass to the excellences of her person: themselves from the obedience of the King of the view of them wholly and not severally, do Spain, and cast themselves into the arms of a make so sweet a wonder, as I fear to divide them. stranger: insomuch, that it is most true, that she Again, nobility extracted out of the royal and did ever persuade the Duke of Anjou from that victorious line of the kings of England; yea, action, notwithstanding the affection she bore to both roses, white and red, do as well flourish in that duke, and the obstinacy which she saw daily her nobility as in her beauty, as health, such as growing in the King of Spain. Lastly, to touch was like she should have that was brought forth the mighty general merit of this queen, bear in by two of the most goodly princes of the world, mind, that her benignity and beneficence hath in the strength of their years, in the heat of their been as large as the oppression and ambition of love; that hath been injured neither with an overSpain. For, to begin with the church of Rome, liberal nor over-curious diet; that hath not been that pretended apostolic see is become but a dona-sustained by an umbratile life still under the roof, tive cell of the King of Spain; the vicar of Christ but strengthened by the use of the pure and open is become the King of Spain's chaplain; he part-air, that still retaineth flower and vigour of youth. eth the coming in of the new pope, for the treasure of the old he was wont to exclude but some two or three cardinals, and to leave the election of the rest; but now he doth include, and present directly some small number, all incapable and incompatible with the conclave, put in only for colour, except one or two. The states of Italy, they be like little quillets of freehold, being intermixed in the midst of a great honour or lordship: France is turned upside down, the subject against the king, cut and mangled infinitely, a country of Rodamonts and Roytelets, farmers of the ways: Portugal usurped by no other title than strength and vicinity: the Low Countries warred upon, because he seeketh, not to possess them, for they were possessed by him before, but to plant there an absolute and martial government, and to suppress their liberties: the like at this day attempted upon Arragon: the poor Indies, whereas the Christian religion generally brought enfranchisement of slaves in all places where it came, in a contrary course are brought from freemen to be slaves, and slaves of most miserable condition: sundry trains and practices of this king's ambi- What should I speak of her excellent gift of tion in Germany, Deninark, Scotland, the east speech, being a character of the greatness of her towns, are not unknown. Then it is her govern- conceit, the height of her degree, and the sweetment, and her government alone, that hath been ness of her nature? What life, what edge is there the sconce fort of all Europe, which hath lett in those words and glances wherewith at pleasure this proud nation from overrunning all. If any she can give a man long to think; be it that she state be yet free from his factions erected in the mean to daunt him, to encourage him, or to amaze bowels thereof; if there be any state wherein this him! How admirable is her discourse, whether faction is erected, that is not yet fired with civil it be in learning, state, or love! what variety of troubles; if there be any state under his protection knowledge; what rareness of conceit; what upon whom he usurpeth not; if there be any sub-choice of words; what grace of utterance! Doth VOL. II.-57

Of her gait; "Et vera incessu patuit Dea."
Of her voice; "Nec vox hominem sonat."
Of her eye;
"Et lætos oculis afflavit honores."
Of her colour; "Indum sanguineo veluti viola-
verit ostro Si quis ebur."

Of her neck; "Et rosea cervice refulsit."
Of her breast; "Veste sinus collecta fluentes."
Of her hair; "Ambrosiæque comæ divinum
vertice odorem
Spiravere."

If this be presumption, let him bear the blame that owneth the verses. What shall I speak of her rare qualities of compliment; which as they be excellent in the things themselves, so they have always besides somewhat of a queen: and as queens use shadows and veils with their rich apparel; methinks in all her qualities there is somewhat that flieth from ostentation, and yet inviteth the mind to contemplate her more?

2P 2

called his? Peruse the catalogue: Cornelius Sylla, Julius Cæsar, Flavius Vespasianus, Severus, Constantinus the Great, and many more. "Generare et liberi, humana: creare et operari, divina." And, therefore, this objection removed, let us proceed to take a view of her felicity.

it not appear, that though her wit be as the adamant of excellences, which draweth out of any book ancient or new, out of any writing or speech, the best; yet she refineth it, she enricheth it far above the value wherein it is received? And is her speech only that language which the child learneth with pleasure, and not those which the A mate of fortune she never took: only some studious learn with industry? Hath she not at- adversity she passed at the first, to give her a tained, besides her rare eloquence in her own lan- quicker sense of the prosperity that should follow, guage, infinitely polished since her happy times, and to make her more reposed in the divine provichanges of her languages, both learned and modern? dence. Well, she cometh to the crown; it was no so that she is able to negotiate with divers ambas- small fortune to find at her entrance some such sadors in their own languages; and that with no servants and counsellors as she then found. The disadvantage upon them, who I think cannot but French king, who at this time, by reason of the have a great part of their wits distracted from their peace concluded with Spain, and of the interest matters in hand to the contemplation and admira- he had in Scotland, might have proved a dangertion of such perfections. What should I wonderous neighbour: by how strange an accident was on to speak of the excellences of her nature, which he taken away? The King of Spain, who, if he cannot endure to be looked on with a discontented eye of the constancy of her favours, which maketh service as a journey by land, whereas the service of other princes is like an embarking by sea. For her royal wisdom and policy of government, he that shall note and observe the prudent temper she useth in admitting access; of the one side maintaining the majesty of her degree, and on the other side not prejudicing he.self by looking to her estate through too few windows: her exquisite judgment in choosing and finding good servants, a point beyond the former; her profound discretion in assigning and appropriating every of them to their aptest employment: her penetrating sight in discovering every man's ends and drifts: her wonderful art in keeping servants in satisfaction, and yet in appetite: her inventing wit in contriving plots and overturns: her exact caution in censuring the propositions of others for her service her foreseeing events: her usage of occasions: he that shall consider of these, and other things that may not well be touched, as he shall never cease to wonder at such a queen, so he shall wonder the less, that in so dangerous times, when wits are so cunning, humours extravagant, passions so violent, the corruptions so great, the dissimulations so deep, factions so many; she hath notwithstanding done such great things, and reigned in felicity.

To speak of her fortune, that which I did reserve for a garland of her honour; and that is, that she liveth a virgin, and hath no children: so it is that which maketh all her other virtues and acts more sacred, more august, more divine. Let them leave children that leave no other memory in their times: "Brutorum æternitas, soboles." Revolve in histories the memories of happy men, and you shall not find any of rare felicity but either he died childless, of his line spent soon after his death; or else was unfortunate in his children. Should a man have them to be slain by his vassals, as the "posthumus" of Alexander the Great was? or to call them his imposthumes, as Augustus Cæsar

would have inclined to reduce the Low Countries by lenity, considering the goodly revenues which he drew from those countries, the great commodity to annoy her state from thence, might have made mighty and perilous matches against her repose; putteth on a resolution not only to use the means of those countries, but to spend and consume all his other means, the treasure of his Indies, and the forces of his ill-compacted dominions there and upon them. The Carles that rebelled in the north, before the Duke of Norfolk's plot, which, indeed, was the strength and seal of that commotion, was fully ripe, brake forth, and prevented their time. The King Sebastian of Portugal, whom the King of Spain would fain have persuaded that it was a devouter enterprise to purge Christendom, than to enlarge it, though I know some think that he did artificially nourish him in that voyage, is cut apieces with his army in Africa: then hath the King of Spain work cut out to make all things in readiness during the old cardinal's time for the conquest of Portugal; whereby his desire of invading of England was slackened and put off some years, and by that means was put in execution at a time for some respects much more to his disadvantage. And the same invasion, like and as if it had been attempted before, it had the time much more proper and favourable; so likewise had it in true discourse a better season afterwards: for, if it had been dissolved till time that the league had been better confirmed in France; which no doubt would have been, if the Duke of Guise, who was the only man of worth on that side, had lived; and the French king durst never have laid hand upon him, had he not been animated by the English victory against the Spaniards precedent. And then, if some maritime town had been gotten into the hands of the league, it had been a great surety and strength to the enterprise. The popes, to consider of them whose course and policy it had been, knowing her majesty's natural clemency to have temporized and dispensed with the Papista

coming to church, that through the mask of their | skirmishes and services? they are no blemish at hypocrisy they might have been brought into all to the militia of England. places of government in the state and in the In the Low Countries, the Lammas day, the country: these, contrariwise, by the instigation retreat of Ghent, the day of Zutphen, and the prosof some fugitive scholars that advised him, not perous progress of this summer: the bravado in that was best for the see of Rome, but what Portugal, and the honourable exploits in the aid agreed best with their eager humours and des- of the French king, besides the memorable voyperate states; discover and declare themselves ages in the Indies; and, lastly, the good entertainso far by sending most seminaries, and taking of ment of the invincible navy, which was chased reconcilements, as there is now severity of laws till the chasers were weary, after infinite loss, introduced for the repressing of that sort, and without taking a cock-boat, without firing a sheepmen of that religion are become the suspect. cot, sailed on the mercies of the wind, and the What should I speak of so many conspiracies discretion of their adventures, making a perambumiraculously detected? the records show the trea-lation or pilgrimage about the northern seas, and sons but it is yet hidden in many of them how ignobling many shores and points of land by shipthey came to light. What should I speak of the wreck; and so returned home with scorn and disopportune death of her enemies, and the wicked | honour much greater than the terror and expectainstruments towards her estate? Don Juan died |tion of their setting forth. not amiss Darleigh, Duke of Lenox, who was used as an instrument to divorce Scotland from the amity of England, died in no ill season: a man withdrawn indeed at that time to France; but not without great help. I may not mention the death of some that occur to mind: but still, methinks, they live that should live, and they die that should die. I would not have the King of Spain die yet; he is "seges gloriæ:" but when he groweth dangerous, or any other besides him; I am persuaded they will die. What should I speak of the fortunes of her armies, which, notwithstanding the inward peace of this nation, were never more renowned? What should recount Leith and Newhaven for the honourable

These virtues and perfections, with so great felicity, have made her the honour of her times, the admiration of the world, the suit and aspiring of greatest kings and princes, who yet durst never have aspired unto her, but as their minds were raised by love.

But why do I forget that words do extenuate and embase matters of so great weight? Time is her best commander, which never brought forth such a prince, whose imperial virtues contend with the excellency of her person; both virtues contend with her fortune; and both virtue and fortune contend with her fame.

"Orbis amor, famæ carmen, cœlique pupilla:
Tu decus omne tuis, tu decus ipsa tibi ?'

A PROCLAMATION

DRAWN

FOR HIS MAJESTY'S FIRST COMING IN.

[PREPARED, BUT not used.]

HAVING great cause, at this time, to be moved | royal heart, but to the judgment of all the world, with diversity of affections, we do in first place whether there ever appeared in us any ambitious condole with all our loving subjects of England, or impatient desire to prevent God's appointed for the loss of their so virtuous and excellent time. Neither are we so partial to our own hoqueen; being a prince that we always found a nour, but that we do in great part ascribe this our dear sister, yea a mother to ourself in many her most peaceable and quiet entrance and coming to actions and advices. A prince whom we hold these our crowns, next under the blessing of Aland behold as an excellent pattern and example mighty God, and our undoubted right, to the fruit to imitate in many her royal virtues and parts of of her majesty's peaceable and quiet government, government; and a prince whose days we could accustoming the people to all loyalty and obedihave wished to have been prolonged; we report-ence. As for that which concerneth ourselves, ing ourselves not only to the testimony of our we would have all our loving subjects know, that

we do not take so much gladness and content- | for the which God hath brought us to the impement in the devolving of these kingdoms unto rial crown of these kingdoms. our royal person, for any addition or increase of Further, we cannot but take great comfort in glory, power, or riches, as in this, that it is so the state and correspondence which we now stand manifest an evidence unto us, especially the man-in of peace and unity with all Christian princes, ner of it considered, that we stand, though un- and, otherwise, of quietness and obedience of our worthy, in God's favour, who hath put more own people at home: whereby we shall not need means into our hands to reward our friends and to expose that our kingdom of England to any servants, and to pardon and obliterate injuries, and quarrel or war, but rather have occasion to preto comfort and relieve the hearts and estates of serve them in peace and tranquillity, and openour people and loving subjects, and chiefly to ad-ness of trade with all foreign nations. vance the holy religion and church of Almighty God, and to deserve well of the Christian commonwealth. And more especially we cannot but gratulate and rejoice in this one point, that it hath pleased God to make us the instrument, and, as it were, the corner-stone, to unite these two mighty and warlike nations of England and Scotland into one kingdom. For although these two nations are situated upon the continent of one island, and are undivided either by seas or mountains, or by diversity of language; and although our neighbour kingdoms of Spain and France have already had the happiness to be reunited in the several members of those kingdoms formerly disjoined; yet in this island it appeareth not in the records of any true history, no, nor scarcely in the conceit of any fabulous narration or tradition, that this whole island of Great Britain was ever united under one sovereign prince before this day. Which, as we cannot but take as a singular honour and favour of God unto ourselves; so we may conceive good hope that the kingdoms of Christendom standing distributed and counterpoised, as by this last union they now are, it will be a foundation of the universal peace of all Christian princes; and that now the strife that shall remain between them, shall be but an emulation who shall govern best, and most to the weal and good of his people.

Another great cause of our just rejoicing is, the assured hope that we conceive, that whereas our kingdom of Ireland hath been so long time torn and afflicted with the miseries of wars, the making and prosecuting of which wars hath cost such an infinite deal of blood and treasure of our realm of England to be spilt and consumed thereupon; we shall be able, through God's favour and assistance, to put a speedy and an honourable end to

those wars.

And it is our princely design, and full purpose and resolution, not only to reduce that nation from their rebellion and revolt, but also to reclaim them from their barbarous manners to justice and the fear of God; and to populate, plant, and make civil all the provinces in that kingdom which also being an action that not any of our noble progenitors, Kings of England, hath ever had the happiness thoroughly to prosecute and accomplish, we take so much to heart, as we are persuaded it is one of the chief causes,

Lastly, and principally, we cannot but take unspeakable comfort in the great and wonderful consent and unity, joy and alacrity, wherewith our loving subjects of our kingdom of England have received and acknowledged us their natural and lawful king and governor, according to our most clear and undoubted right, in so quiet and settled manner, as, if we had been long ago declared and established successor, and had taken all men's oaths and homages, greater and more perfect unity and readiness could not have been. For, considering with ourselves, that, notwithstanding difference of religion, or any other faction, and notwithstanding our absence so far off, and notwithstanding the sparing and reserved communicating of one another's minds; yet, all our loving subjects met in one thought and voice, without any the least disturbance or interruption, yea, hesitation or doubtfulness, or any show thereof; we cannot but acknowledge it is a great work of God, who hath an immediate and extraordinary direction in the disposing of kingdoms and flows of people's hearts.

Wherefore, after our most humble and devout thanks to Almighty God, by whom kings reign, who hath established us king and governor of these kingdoms; we return our hearty and affectionate thanks unto the lords spiritual and temporal, the knights and gentlemen, the cities and towns, and generally unto our commons, and all estates and degrees of that our kingdom of England, for their so acceptable first-fruits of their obedience and loyalties offered and performed in our absence; much commending the great wisdom, courage, and watchfulness used by the peers of that our kingdom, according to the nobility of their bloods and lineages, many of them mingled with the blood royal; and therefore in nature affectionate to their rightful king; and likewise of the counsellors of the late queen, according to their gravity and oath, and the spirit of their good mistress, now a glorious saint in heaven, in carrying and ordering our affairs with that fidelity, moderation, and consent, which in them hath well appeared: and also the great readiness, concord, and cheerfulness in the principal knights and gentlemen of several counties, with the head officers of great cities, corporations, and towns: and do take knowledge by name of